Before COVID-19, photographer Sally Pinera and Smith + James Events decided to put together a styled shoot that encompasses what a fashion forward bride might imagine for her own big day—filled with drama and elegance. We know big weddings aren’t possible right now, but we still think there is inspiration in this production that can be brought to life at a later date. Beautiful weddings are certainly not cancelled.
With three different models beautified by Chiali Meng and wearing Rasario, Amsale, Viktor&Rolf, and Sophie et Voila from Novo Octo, the team took over Villa del Sol d’Oro in Pasadena, which also regularly acts as a wedding venue, and a studio in DTLA to bring their vision to life. “We wanted an upscale, Old World feeling and the villa was the perfect place to get that gorgeous European-inspired garden estate impact,” Pinera says. “We love when brides incorporate existing architecture with something like a studio for that high fashion editorial.”
On set, they loved the idea of incorporating classical instruments into the shoot and ended up bringing on wedding musicians from Tang Instrumentals. “We didn’t realize what a fantastic benefit it would be to have live cello music present throughout the shoot,” Pinera explains. “It really added to the magic of the day and set a really special tone.”
As for styling, subtle shades like nudes, blushes, and ivories were contrasted with a stark black, while more vibrant color was highlighted in the floral arrangements by Of The Flowers. Amber Event Production beautifully situated the lighting and draping, while models posed around chairs and tables, rented from The Ark and Casa de Perrin. They even had a wedding cake by Jasmine Rae Cakes and a matching paper suite from Elsa Madeline Design.
“We wanted to do something a bit different that highlighted bridal fashion and pushed the envelope instead of the more classic pieces we had been seeing so much of lately,” Pinera says. “We want to inspire clients when it comes to their wedding day fashion and [show] that you can think outside the box.”
